Fuel cells are one of the most intriguing battery replacement technologies around and are one of the few that is already on the market. Today the fuel cell isn't a viable option for the consumer, but in the future charging your notebook computer could be a thing of the past.

Engadget reports that Panasonic is readying the first fuel cell that will fit into the battery compartment of a notebook computer to go on sale in 2012. The fuel cell reportedly could power your average laptop for five hours on 50cc of highly concentrated methanol. When you start to run low, all you would need to do is squirt some more methanol into the cell to keep working.